Police operation closes Park Avenue in North Franklin for hours

Park Avenue in North Franklin was closed for nearly four hours Tuesday after state police were called to a welfare check at a residence in the community and suspected that the man inside the home was armed with a gun.

Numerous state police officers were stationed outside the home in the 900 block of Park Avenue near Armour Street after being called around 10:30 a.m. by the man’s family members concerned about his well-being.

The state police special team tried unsuccessfully to make contact with the man and used a drone to peer into the house, said state police officer Rocco Gagliardi. When the police entered the house, they found the man dead. He had apparently committed suicide.

The Washington County Coroner has been called to assist in the investigation, but the man’s identity and the address where the incident occurred were not immediately released.

Due to the situation, the busy road, also known as State Route 18, was closed until just before 2:30 p.m., when police announced the incident was over.

“The incident on Park Avenue has been concluded,” the State Police Troop B barracks said on Twitter/X. “There is no immediate threat or danger to the public at this time.”

North Franklin Fire Chief Dave Bane said his department was dispatched to close the road and reroute traffic between McJay Drive and Williams Street. Traffic was being diverted around the area via side streets during the incident.